Daily Garnishhttp://www.dailygarnish.com
A resource for healthy recipes, cooking tips, and inspiration for active living.Fri, 31 Jul 2015 19:55:29 +0000en-UShourly1DailyGarnishhttps://feedburner.google.comReady to Race in San Francisco!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DailyGarnish/~3/42V_C0ccwP8/ready-to-race-in-san-francisco.html
http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/ready-to-race-in-san-francisco.html#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 13:44:11 +0000Emily Malonehttp://www.dailygarnish.com/?p=21173Well, I couldn’t help myself. I said I wasn’t going to sign up for any more big races this year – having already done two half marathons this summer. But then I got an invite to Run the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco on October 18th through ClassPass, which is pretty much a dream come true.

I’ve had this San Francisco race on my “must run” list for years and years, but the timing and circumstances (read: two pregnancies) have never been quite right. Tiffany necklace at the finish line? Gorgeous California scenery? YES please! Check out their announcement post and you can see the other five bloggers I’ll be running with!

And honestly, it is the perfect partnership because I am LOVING my ClassPass. I was given a free month to check it out earlier in the year, and I’ve paid for it on my own ever since because I like it so much. Looking forward, one of my running goals is to try to regain some of the speed I had in a former life, and I think cross-training and strength workouts will be a big part of that.

I’ve talked about ClassPass here before, but in case this is new to you – it is a membership program that allows you to access classes and fitness programs at gyms and studios all over the world for one flat monthly fee. In Seattle, we pay $79/month, and you can go to as many classes as you can want – the limitation being that you can only visit each individual studio three times each month. It’s great because it pushes you to try new things and hop around, rather than just doing the same old thing over and over again (which ends up not being very effective!).

Here in Seattle, I’ve been exploring all different types of classes and studios, and I’m discovering new workouts I never would have tried if I’d had to pay $20+ for a single visit. My personal favorites are (my beloved) Barre3, Pure Barre, FlyBarre, and CorePower Yoga (sculpt class – omg!).

Seattle-area readers – any favorite classes or studios you can recommend?!

Another fun feature is that if you and your friends are both using ClassPass, you can see what classes they have signed up for and join them. One of my closest friends here is about to take her HUNDRETH class, and she has gotten into incredible shape over the last few months – it’s really inspiring!

Last but not least, a new feature they just released – if you are in the Boston or NYC area, you can sign up for races directly through ClassPass! And if you live elsewhere, you can use the “flex” feature to sign up for a destination race in one of those locations. Hopefully this comes to Seattle soon!

I have been doing barre classes for years now, but I’ve always sort of flip-flopped between doing mostly barre and yoga and very little running (winter/spring) and then doing mostly running and fewer indoor classes (summer/fall). But I’m finally realizing that my body responds much better to a balanced approach of BOTH at the same time, and I’m so excited to put that to the test as I train for this next race.

I’m just coming off of a half marathon I ran a few weeks ago, and my approach going forward is to essentially start over – back down to base mileage and work on building speed and strength as I build back up to race distance. As part of the ClassPass Runner program, we’ve been partnered with Nike Master Run Coach, Blue Benadum, to help us build the best running plan.

My personalized plan is going to look something like this:

Run: 3x/week – two weekday workouts (hills and speedwork) and one weekend long run

Classes: 2-3x/week – a mix of barre, power yoga, and other strength workouts

Rest: 1-2x/week – days off of official workouts that mostly just involve walking with the kids and dogs

For my last few races, I’ve posted a lot of training updates on Instagram, but haven’t written too much prior to race day. My hope this time is to pop in here weekly and give a better look at how training is going, what fun new classes I’ve tried, and just generally give a better picture of how I’m building up to this race. Hopefully I can keep up with it! This past week was my first official training week, and so far it has been a success!

Saturday – haven’t done it yet, but this will be my long run of 5ish miles!

Running home toward dinner is a powerful motivator!

For any of you who are interested in trying out ClassPass yourself, to celebrate this exciting race partnership, they are giving away a one month membership to ClassPass to one of YOU guys! Winner must be new to ClassPass (sorry to existing members!), and must live in a city where ClassPass is available (or travel frequently to one!).

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment telling me something new you’d like to try if you win! Giveaway will end Friday, August 7th at 12pm PST. Good luck!!

Many thanks to ClassPass, the Nike team, and our coach Blue for this awesome opportunity. In 7 years (!) of blogging, I’ve never been able to do race partnerships or travel because the timing and circumstances just weren’t quite right (school –> moving –> kids). When I got the invite for this race and I saw that it was in October – the ONE weekend that landed right between my boys’ birthdays – I knew it was meant to be! Thanks for supporting me through another race – I can’t wait to run the hills in California. Okay, and get my necklace! :)

Hi friends! Today is my Monday, as we spent all day yesterday driving home from an amazing whirlwind weekend at the beach. I’m scrambling to catch up since I’m missing my babysitting day this week, but as miracles would have it – both kids are napping right now! Fingers crossed that lasts for more than ten minutes (Update: it didn’t, which it why I’m finishing this up at 8pm!).

As I’ve mentioned here a million times already – it’s SUMMER! And just like most of you, we are living it up as much as possible. We’ve spent so much time outside, on the beaches, and finding local summer adventures that I’ve spent very little time at my computer – which is both wonderful and slightly stressful at the same time. I haven’t edited pictures past June, and now August is right around the corner!

The last summer outing I shared here was from way back in mid-June when we went strawberry picking. So before any more time passes, I thought I’d try to recap some of the other fun things we’ve had going on. At the end of June, Casey’s parents came to visit!

The boys were in grandparent heaven, and Cullen got to take Grandpa to a Mariners game, which was definitely a highlight for him.

But the highlight for me and Casey was our first GETAWAY – just the two of us for the first time in four years. While we have both traveled independently, the only night we ever spent away together was in the hospital when Graham was born – wonderful, but not exactly romantic! Casey planned an overnight trip to Victoria for the two of us as an anniversary gift, and even arranged to have his parents come out to watch the kids – seriously amazing!

So early on a Tuesday morning, we boarded the Victoria Clipper and set sail for Canada!

The clipper was awesome – nice seats, plugs for electronics, and a gorgeous view of the Puget Sound out my window. Once we got to Victoria, we unloaded our bags at our hotel and immediately set out in search of food! We landed at the Jam Cafe – recommended by a friend and had a line out the door!

The food was heavy and delicious, and we ate waaaaay too much.

After that we both fell into a massive food coma that, combined with a very early Clipper departure, required a rare afternoon nap. I felt a little foolish wasting a few of our precious 36 hours for napping, but we both felt a million times better afterward. And that’s what adult vacations are for, right? Napping!

We eventually rejoined the world and I immediately announced that we needed ice cream! I looked up best ice cream options online, and walked a few miles until we found Cold Comfort.

O.M.G you guys. I started to feel a bit ridiculous that we were walking two miles (each way) just for ice cream, but that feeling disappeared with the first bite. The owner suggested we try the most popular item – ice cream sandwiches, and they were hands down the best I’ve ever had. I tried the Golden Graham, which was as delicious as it sounds.

But Casey’s ice cream was sandwiched between macarons, and it was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. If we’d had enough time the next day, we planned to walk four miles round-trip just to get them again!

From there, we walked all along the waterfront and just wandered around for a while. Our mission for the trip was to walk and eat as much as possible! I didn’t end up with any photos of dinner, but we went to Rebar and it was INCREDIBLE! I guess I was too busy licking my plate to photograph. I want to go back right now!

We finished up a full day of exploring just in time to watch the sunset over the water.

We decided to head back to our hotel at that point and hang out on our awesome waterfront balcony for a while – so beautiful! (Dress from Stitchfix!)

I’m so grateful to this guy for planning such a wonderful trip for us. We’ve been itching to get away just the two of us for a while now, but I was never quite ready to pull the trigger and actually do it. He knew the best approach was to just plan it and make it happen – and it was exactly what we needed!

The next morning, we slept in as late as parents of young kids possibly can – 8am! Felt like a total luxury. We headed to Mole for breakfast, and had another delicious meal.

Like I said before, the goal was to eat and walk as much as we could – so after fueling up we headed out to walk along Dallas Road – a spot recommended by many friends! We walked through a park and all along the bluff overlooking the water – totally beautiful even though it was gloomy and overcast.

The other goal for our trip was to do something adventurous that we can’t do when we’re with the kids. The weather was cool, windy, and even a little rainy, so that limited the options a bit. On a whim, we decided we had just enough time left to go whale watching! We’ve gone whale watching with the kids before (last year in the San Juans!), but this time we decided to do one of the open zodiac boats. And the gross weather didn’t matter at all, because they had these incredible flotation suits for us to wear!

They were totally waterproof and insulated, so it didn’t matter that we were whipping through the freezing northwest waters with rain splashing us in the face.

This wasn’t our boat, but gives you an idea of what we were on – totally open and able to get up to pretty high speeds!

It was seriously incredible, and Casey and I were so glad we’d decided to squeeze it in before heading back. We caught up with the resident J-pod of orcas, and saw TONS of whales just off the coast of San Juan Island.

Casey and I love the San Juan area so much, and I’m so glad we were finally able to make it up to British Columbia to explore even more of the surrounding area. The northwest is just so beautiful!

It was the perfect end to our trip, and we cruised back to Seattle on the Clipper as the sunset over the Sound. We were only gone about 36 hours, but it was enough to recharge and reconnect, and it felt so good. Maybe we’ll do it again in another four years! :)

We made it home just in time to enjoy two more days with Casey’s parents in town. They were here during a particularly hot week, so we hit up the beaches, splash park, and the neighborhood pool for family swim.

Even Mimi went down the water slide!

Cullen has been doing swimming lessons a few times each week all summer long, and it’s amazing how much more confidence he has in the water this year! I’m so proud of him.

And Graham is a fearless fish who thinks he can do anything – it’s terrifying! He is hilarious in the water though, and I am glad he is so confident and wild.

A million thanks to Casey’s parents for taking such great care of our boys so that we could relax and get away without worrying. The boys had a blast, and we were so grateful to be able to do a short trip together!

We are counting down until we see them again in just a few short weeks for a big vacation with the whole family. I love summer!

Back again soon with more summer adventures, a fun race announcement, and more! Hope you guys are having a great week!

]]>http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/summer-adventures-part-1-oh-canada.html/feed16http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/summer-adventures-part-1-oh-canada.htmlCoffee Talk.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DailyGarnish/~3/NXP17nR6TwY/coffee-talk.html
http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/coffee-talk.html#commentsTue, 21 Jul 2015 18:19:10 +0000Emily Malonehttp://www.dailygarnish.com/?p=21166Hi guys!! I thought I’d do something a little different today. These days I feel like I tend to do less frequent, longer posts – but those are harder to put together and take me several days worth of nap times (which is why they end up being like once a week!). So today, I have an hour or so right in front of me and I thought I’d just pop in and say hi with no real plan. Would it be weird if I did this like once a week? You can be honest.

I’m in a coffee shop this morning, which feels totally extravagant and like a visit into a former life! Cullen is going to a new school this year, and it starts in July instead of in the fall, which is kind of amazing. He’s having a blast with his new buddies, and it’s giving me and Graham a fun window of time to do some things just to the two of us – good for everyone! And once a week, while Cullen is at school, Graham hangs with our beloved babysitter – which means I have four glorious hours to do whatever I need to do. And today, that means catching up on work and emails at the coffee shop. So I thought I would pop over here and ramble for a few minutes before getting a few other posts in the works…

How is your summer going? I am doing what I always do and panicking that summer is almost over, instead of just enjoying what’s left of it (working on that…). This summer has been so amazing so far (and I have a recap post coming once I edit all my photos!), and we have a lot more fun coming up in the next month. We did the same thing this year that we did last year, and back loaded all of our travel and visits with family in the last few weeks of the summer. Our first trip is this coming weekend, and I am counting down!

Although as much as I love to travel, I am also just soaking up Seattle right now. This is when our city really shines, and I hang onto these late sunsets and sandy beach days all year long, reminding myself on the dreariest days that the northwest summers are more than worth it!

I read it, and then re-read it, and then spent two entire days doing nothing but reading and learning everything I could about earthquakes, seismic plates, tsunami patterns, emergency preparedness, and then naturally deciding that we clearly had to relocate to the middle of North Dakota or some other less threatening place.

The thing is – it’s actually REALLY scary. But I don’t think moving away is realistic. Of course we don’t want to die, but stuff happens everywhere. Plus, we LOVE it here! Once the buzz here died down a bit (it was the only thing anyone talked about for days!), Casey and I went into problem solving mode, and had some good conversations about how to prepare, what we would do, etc. – assuming it does happen while we’re here. Casey did a ton of research and put together an extensive emergency kit, so I’m feeling good that we’ve done all we can do at this point. Until then, we’re going to enjoy the beautiful landscape here and hope it doesn’t all wash away into the ocean someday.

Okay, switching gears! On my last post someone asked me for an update on the dogs, and it made me realize I hadn’t said much about them in a while. That’s not intentional and doesn’t mean anything more than I just don’t blog as often, and when I do it tends to be more focused on a particular topic (that rarely pertains to dogs!).

But the dogs are great. They are both getting older, which is hard to accept. Huey will be TWELVE (!) at the end of the summer, and Indy is almost ten. They both still have the energy level of puppies, and they are loving summer and so much time spent outside chasing birds and eating all my ripe strawberries and tomatoes.

Ever since the aggression issues we dealt with back in December 2013, we’ve continued to keep them separated more than before, but it’s second nature for all of us now. The dogs are happy getting more individual attention, and actually seem less stressed and anxious now that they aren’t competing so much. They both get lots of snuggles and walks and on some days they drive me totally insane, and other days I can’t imagine life without them. Usual stuff.

Onto food – I posted this on Instagram a few days ago, but I wanted to show you guys one of our favorite meals these days. We call it “salsa bowls” and we eat it at least once a week.

I make brown rice in the rice cooker, and then cook up some sort of vegetable medley from whatever we have on hand. This particular bowl had a mixture of swiss chard and yellow squash (both from our garden – update on that coming soon!!) mixed with red onion, mushrooms, fresh corn, and black beans. Then we top the bowls with cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, shredded cheese (and sometimes greek yogurt), and gobs and gobs of salsa. It is the bomb.

We’re also doing lots of grilling! Tons of corn on the cob, grilled squash, sliced portabellas, endless field roast, and homemade veggie burgers. Casey made a new version of our favorite veggie burgers last weekend, and I want him to remake them and measure the ingredients this time so I can share them. The had salsa in them, and were insane!

Alright, off to pick Cullen up from school and go see what Graham has been up to this morning. Back with another post toward the end of the week – hope your week is off to a great start!

]]>http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/coffee-talk.html/feed73http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/coffee-talk.html2015 See Jane Run Half Marathon (& Kids Run!)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DailyGarnish/~3/GzF50lQju8k/2015-see-jane-run-half-marathon-kids-run.html
http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/2015-see-jane-run-half-marathon-kids-run.html#commentsMon, 13 Jul 2015 20:39:03 +0000Emily Malonehttp://www.dailygarnish.com/?p=21165Yesterday was my second big race of the summer!! Most of my training this year has been building up to run the Rock N Roll Half Marathon, which I ran last month. But long before I knew I was going to be running Rock N Roll, I had signed up for the See Jane Run Half Marathon. The races were one month apart – definitely not ideal. I actually did this to myself last year too, and I’m not sure how I ended up doing it again – I’m obviously a sucker for early registration coupons. :)

Last year after I ran Rock N Roll, I had a really rough month of Casey traveling and then traveling myself the week before the race. I ran exactly two times between half marathons, and it was brutal. I told myself that if I was going to run back to back races again this summer, I was at least going to keep up running consistently in between.

I’m happy to say that this time around, I did a much better job of fitting in my training. The weekend after the Rock N Roll race, instead of finally sleeping in on a Saturday morning like I wanted to, I woke up and ran 8.5 miles along the waterfront and I felt amazing.

The next weekend, I ran 12 miles on a new loop with my running buddy, Lacey. It was right in the middle of the crazy heatwave we had here a few weeks ago, and it was absolute HELL. The sun was blazing and it was 80 degrees by 7am. One of the worst runs I’ve had in a long time, but at least I covered the distance.

I took Fourth of July weekend off because it was 90+ degrees every day and we had friends in town. But I kept up with my weekday runs, and I’ve also been doing a lot of barre classes through ClassPass. So I felt like I had done a decent job staying on my feet, but I also felt a little burnt out.

Either way, I headed to the starting line yesterday with about 800 other women (and a few men!) and got ready to run my second half marathon this summer.

The race starts and ends in GasWorks park, which is really centrally located and close to our house, so very convenient for race day logistics. The course goes out and back along the Ship Canal and Burke-Gilman trails, and around Lake Union – the same path where I did almost all of my long training runs.

I also did almost all of those runs with Lacey. She started running last summer (and did this race last year as her first!), and it has been such a joy to have a running partner again. It would have been a lot harder to get motivated to run at 6am every Saturday morning (and many evenings at 8pm!) without her.

The starting gun sounded and we were OFF! One of my biggest challenges in running has always been just getting out of my own head. I started the race feeling kind of off, and had to just keep reminding myself to stay positive, enjoy my playlist, and check off the miles one by one.

Mile 1: 9:05 pace

Mile 2: 8:43 pace

Mile 3: 9:11 pace

After a crazy heatwave that lasted for several weeks, the past few days have been really overcast and cool. When I woke up Sunday morning, it was dark and breezy, and I knew we’d be running along the waterfront where there is significantly more wind. Just before I left the house, I changed out of shorts and into capris. Mistake!

Within the first two miles I regretted it and wished I wasn’t feeling so suffocated. I have been running in shorts for months and wasn’t used to the feeling of tight capris. And for some reason, despite not really being all that warm (maybe high 60’s or low 70’s), the weather was unusually humid. I watched the runners in shorts around me and willed mine to be back on my body. No such luck!

Mile 4: 9:19 pace

Mile 5: 9:24 pace

This was my fifth time racing this course, in addition to the countless training runs on the same path, so I knew every inch of it. I felt sluggish, but tried to keep my pace up and ride the slight downhill, knowing that the middle hills were just up ahead.

Mile 6: 9:16 pace

Mile 7: 9:25 pace

I have learned from previous races on this course that the hills in mile 8 are ridiculous, and I do better if I walk them. I power-walked up the steep inclines in order to save my quads, and I relished the slight break it gave me. Lacey and I rabbited back and forth through the entire race, and knowing she was right there in it with me was a great push to make sure I didn’t fall behind. I dumped water over my head at all the water stations, the only relief from the nasty humidity.

Mile 8: 10:00 pace

Mile 9: 9:22 pace

Just past mile nine, I saw Casey and the boys! I ran over and gave all of them kisses, and I felt proud of myself for being out there and pushing myself even when I didn’t feel very good. The last time I raced this course (back in May) it was almost the exact same, but it was a 15K distance. Something about running nine miles is just SO much better! The way this course works is that you loop back to GasWorks park – where the finish line is – around mile 9.5. AND THEN YOU PASS IT.

You run three long, heartbreaking miles AWAY from the finish line, out the Burke-Gilman trail and back. But I told myself that once I heard my running app announce that I’d reached 11 miles I’d be in good shape. I had two more miles in me. I could do this. And then the friendly voice said, “you have reached mile 10!” – oh hell no. Somehow I’d convinced myself I was a mile ahead of where I really was, and it zapped every bit of energy I had left.

I was literally willing myself to run every step at that point, when I looked up and saw my friend Heidi running toward me! She was out for a morning jog on the trail, and ran up to my side and said “want some company?” She is an incredible runner (her PR for the half is in the 1:30’s!) and for a minute I felt embarrassed to make her slog along at my slow pace, but then I just blurted out “YES PLEASE RUN WITH ME!” She had also run the same race a few years ago, so she knew how hard that last stretch feels.

Being a runner, she knew that I just needed someone to distract me and talk to me. It was exactly what I needed – she chatted about her boys and running and summer plans, and who knows what else – I just desperately needed the distraction from the voice in my head saying “let’s just walk this thing in, shall we?”

She ran me all the way to the finishers’ chute before peeling off to continue her run back home. I am sure I would have ended up walking a lot of those last three miles without her, and I am so grateful that she popped up at the perfect spot. I used every last bit of energy I had to cross the finish line.

Mile 10: 9:30 pace

Mile 11: 9:28 pace

Mile 12: 9:41 pace

Mile 13: 9:48 pace

0.40 miles: 9:45 pace

Official finish – 13.1 miles – 2:06:12

It is mindboggling to me that my official time for this race was fast than my Rock N Roll half time last month (which was 2:06:47). But that race measured super long for me (13.8 miles), and this one was only a little bit over (13.4), so I’m still pretty confident I ran the other race faster. I finished Rock N Roll feeling strong and amazing – so proud of myself for running every step and feeling great. I finished this race trying not to puke and questioning why on earth I do things like this for fun.

But of course, once the initial pan and shock wore off – it DID feel fun, and I was actually really proud of myself for gutting it out when it felt pretty terrible. A million congrats to Lacey for setting an new personal best, and I’m excited to keep running with her as she starts training for her first FULL marathon!

After I laid in the grass for a while and wondered how I was ever going to start moving again, Casey finally pulled me up just in time for the kids’ run! Cullen did a kids run a few months ago and absolutely loved it, and he was so excited to get to do one again.

There was no way I had anything left in my legs, even jogging at a three year old’s pace, so Casey jumped in to run while Graham and I cheered. The horn sounded and the kids all bolted – some of those bigger kids are seriously fast!

They looped around the park along the lake, and I died at the cuteness watching Cullen trot along with his dad. He’s a pretty clumsy runner, but I just love watching him have fun.

They had it set up as a long course for older kids and a short course for the younger kids.

There were only a handful of kids that turned off for the short course, but imagine my surprise when I saw Cullen charging to the finish line first!

He knew it too, and he was PUMPED.

I felt so proud and happy watching him charge to the finish line. It was a nice reminder that even though I am slow and running still feels hard most of the time, my kids are watching and learning from me. They don’t care about my pace, they watch for the smile at the finish line. And seeing his just about made my heart explode.

He got his medal and a little packet of finisher goodies – so adorable!

We even let him chow down on a giant chocolate bar at 10am (which was part of his finisher pack), because he had put in the work and earned it. And his shirt did say “I run for chocolate!” after all.

Last year I ran this race in 2:03:14 – I was 9 months postpartum, about 10 pounds lighter from breastfeeding (and subsequently faster), and extremely overwhelmed and sleep deprived.

And now I’m a year older, finally running as just ME (not pregnant, not breastfeeding), and life feels a lot more balanced. My arms and heart are so incredibly full. (And Cullen still has the same scowl on his face!)

I feel happy to have two decent races behind me, and am looking forward to scaling back for a few weeks. I have one more big race planned for this year, and I’ll share details on that soon! For now, I’m excited to add a bit more cross-training back in, and to be able to do more barre and yoga to get stronger. And to finally sleep in next Saturday.

]]>http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/2015-see-jane-run-half-marathon-kids-run.html/feed30http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/07/2015-see-jane-run-half-marathon-kids-run.htmlStrawberry Picking (& Homemade Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream)!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DailyGarnish/~3/vCiP3yC3Jo4/strawberry-picking-homemade-vegan-strawberry-ice-cream.html
http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/strawberry-picking-homemade-vegan-strawberry-ice-cream.html#commentsMon, 29 Jun 2015 19:05:02 +0000Emily Malonehttp://www.dailygarnish.com/?p=21162Two weekends ago, we took off on an adventure in the countryside! It was the day after my half marathon, and the boys woke up painfully early for a Sunday morning (kids do not believe in weekends!). I had been gone for a lot of the previous two days with all the race events, so I was itching for a fun family activity. A bit of google searching led us to Monroe, Washington – east of Seattle, and out to Bolles Organic Berry Farm!

Since we’ve lived out here we’ve picked blueberries, apples, and pumpkins – but never strawberries. One thing Casey and I both really loved about this farm is that it was the real deal. While I love a good family-friendly activity, some of the local farms can be a bit over the top with all the kiddie rides and entertainment, and feel a bit…staged?

This was a tiny farmhouse way out in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but local honey for sale and a giant field of berries ripe for the picking.

They gave each of the boys a small empty pint, and the parents were given an empty flat to fill. Cullen and I have gone blueberry picking every summer since he could walk, and in the past every berry has gone straight into his mouth. I was hopeful that this year he’d finally understand the idea of saving a few to take home.

He was really into it, and he loved finding the big juicy red ones to fill up his basket. He still ate his fair share, but he also found a lot to add to the family box.

Graham, on the other hand, was determined to eat the whole field (as expected).

He is at such a wonderful, fun age (20 months <—HOW?) and he has such a hilarious personality. He is a total mama’s boy and I secretly love it. I sat back and just watched him explore and pick berries, and stuff his mouth until juice dripped down his chin.

And for as much as I love Graham in this older toddler stage, the older Cullen gets I see how awesome it is to have bigger kids! For so long I feared my kids growing up and not being babies anymore, and of course now that we are baby-less I see all the freedom and fun that a few years can bring.

Not that he doesn’t have his fair share of three-year-old moments and meltdowns and a level of defiance that makes me question my sanity on a daily basis. But most of the time he’s like hanging out with a buddy, and it’s pretty incredible to see how quickly those babies turn into real people.

The boys were super focused on the task at hand, and Casey and I pretty much just watched and helped and enjoyed it all.

We spent the car ride home talking about what we should make with all those delicious berries. We considered a pie or a crumble, but given the ridiculous heat we’re having so far this summer, we landed on the only thing that sounded truly refreshing – ice cream.

So a few days later, while Graham was napping (he’s not quite at the ideal sous chef age just yet) – Cullen and I set out to make the best vegan strawberry ice cream ever. And I’m pretty sure we did!

We based ours off of this recipe, which I found through a bit of googling. We used the following ingredients (and used her cooking instructions!):

2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk (we used Thai Kitchen brand)

1/2 cup amber honey

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract

3-4 cups sliced strawberries

1/4 cup natural cane sugar

5 full sheets graham crackers, crumbled

One of the reasons we chose to make ice cream is that these berries are really best immediately after picking them. They were so juicy they were basically falling apart, and I thought cooking them down would be the best way to maximize that flavor.

Cullen picked out all the best ones and handed them to me while I trimmed the tops and icky parts off.

Then we mashed them with a potato masher and cooked them down with just a bit of cane sugar. We used way more strawberries than the original recipe called for, because too many strawberries isn’t a real thing, right?

The ice cream base was made from full fat coconut milk (which also included a coconut milk slurry made with cornstarch), vanilla extract, and a 1/2 cup of honey. So simple and SO tasty.

We’ve had our ice cream maker for years (we have this model) but we don’t use it all that often anymore. Cullen was SO excited to watch the ice cream come together, although the whole “wait and let it freeze” concept was quite stressful for him.

Once Cullen and I made the base and the strawberry sauce, we put both in the refrigerator to cool for a few hours. After dinner, we busted out the ice cream maker to watch the magic happen! The boys shared the stool and very patiently watched it churn, begging for tastes as it got colder and colder. While it was churning, I decided it needed a bit of crunch and texture, so I put a few sheets of graham crackers in a baggie and let the boys go to town on them with wooden hammers. Best idea ever.

The ice cream maker got it nice and cool and creamy, but it needed to be put back into the freezer for a bit to really firm up. But the boys were not capable of waiting any longer, so I spooned them each a small bowl before letting the rest finish freezing. Cullen picked out his mini Reds hat so he could make a “helmet sundae” like they serve at the baseball games.

And Graham, well, I think this says it all…

It was a really neat experience to share with the kids – from the berry field to our own kitchen, and Cullen keeps asking what kind of ice cream we will make next. I didn’t get any good pictures of the final frozen product, but I did snap a quick one for Instagram.

It was some of the best vegan ice cream I’ve ever had, and we’ll definitely be making more again soon. Super creamy without that icy effect that non-dairy ice cream tends to get, and the graham crackers really put it over the top. Beyond delicious!

I’m thinking about making a s’mores ice cream this week to share with friends who are coming in for the fourth! Happy Monday!

Last Saturday was my big race!! I’ve been training all spring, and it’s kind of hard to believe that it’s already June and the race is over. I’ve done this race twice before (in 2012 and 2014), so I was excited to give it another go. The last two times I did this race, it was my comeback race after having both boys (and I was still breastfeeding when I ran the previous races). I was excited to do it again now much farther removed from the whole postpartum experience.

Another thing that made this race very different from the last, was that this year I’m part of the Brooks Run Happy Blog Ambassador Team! The entire weekend was a total Brooks experience, and it was incredible. I’m the only local runner in the group, so it was a treat to get to spend the weekend with talented runners from all over the country, some of whom I’ve known for many years!

The weekend kicked off on Friday at lunchtime, and Casey graciously worked a half day so that I could sneak away to the Brooks headquarters and meet the rest of the crew. We started with lunch on the rooftop patio overlooking Lake Union – one of my favorite spots in Seattle! We ate with Jim Weber, CEO of Brooks, and it was really neat to hear him talk about all things running, Seattle, and even – blogging!

Next up we got to meet with all the different product designers for different shoe lines, men’s and women’s apparel, and Moving Comfort sports bras. We saw all the new merchandise and colors coming in Fall 2015, and I seriously cannot WAIT to get my hands on some new pieces. Check out these amazing neon tights for fall – the brighter the better, right?

A few things that stood out to me during the product presentations that I thought were worth passing along:

Brooks is moving into a new system of categorizing their shoes utilizing four quadrants – cushion me, energize me, connect me, propel me. The hope is that these will help runners to choose the perfect footwear for their needs!

Athleisure – the style they are looking to create that blends fashion forward designs with comfortable, quality athletic gear. I feel like athleisure is the definition of my comfy mom wardrobe – I’m basically always trying to wear sweatpants without looking like I’m wearing sweatpants…

Brooks has revamped consistency across all sizing, and is now offering sizes 0 to 22 in apparel, as well as A to F cups and 30 to 44 bands in Moving Comfort sports bras. Love that there is something for everyone!

Of all the things we looked at over the course of the afternoon, my favorite was checking out all the new colors and styles in the Heritage Collection. The next collection of colors and designs was created around the theme “mother nature” and it is beautiful.

I have three pairs of Heritage Chariots myself, and have to talk myself out of buying another pair on a consistent basis (these are next on my list!. They are the perfect shoe for walking with kids or dogs, or for heading out to a yoga or barre class in – much cuter than a pair of traditional running shoes, but much more comfortable and functional than something like TOMS.

After we looked at merchandise for a while, it was time to stretch our legs on a tour of the building. I had actually toured it once before when I first joined the Brooks team, but it was neat to see some other spots that were new to me, and to check out some of the product labs.

It was really interesting to see just how MUCH testing goes into creating the perfect shoes. There were molds and pieces of shoes everywhere!

At the end of our tour it was time for a quick shakeout run along the Burke-Gilman trail with the rest of the crew! (From left to right: Meghann, Lora, Tina, Kristen, Jesica, Janae, and me!)

I jogged a bit with the group and then walked back to the Brooks HQ with Meghann (who is pregnant!). At this point the rest of the girls went to the expo (which I had already been to that morning), and I snuck home to squeeze in some time with the boys before bedtime. After they went to sleep, I headed back downtown to meet everyone for a pre-race dinner at Serious Pie.

The rest of the blog ambassadors flew in for the race and were staying at a hotel downtown. They offered me a hotel room for the weekend even though I live right here in Seattle, which was incredibly generous. I only opted to use it for one night – the night before the race – because I thought it might be easier for both me and Casey if I was already downtown in the morning. My running buddy, Lacey – who was running the 8k, crashed with me and we stayed up way too late talking and having sleepover fun.

Race day morning came very early and I was up and ready to meet the group at 6am on the dot. The Brooks team made us these amazing shirts with our names on the back – it was so easy to spot each other throughout the morning!

We had access to the VIP area before the race, which was pretty awesome. It was stocked with hot coffee, a full breakfast buffet, clean bathrooms, and plenty of space to get ready and stretch out. Just before the start, we all headed into our different corrals to get ready for the race. As the gun went off for the elite runners, fireworks shot out of the Space Needle!

I took zero pictures during the race, so the following pictures are all borrowed from my blogging buddies. I’ve been running slower this year than I have the past few years, so I wasn’t expecting a personal best. That said, my training has gone really well and has been very consistent, so I was feeling confident and hopeful that the race would go well.

I had no pace goal for the race, and I don’t run with a Garmin anymore (I need to get one of the new fancy ones!). I do use the Map My Run app on my phone so that I have a general idea of how I’m running. We got started and I felt great through downtown and into Rainier Valley.

Mile 1: 8:50 pace

Mile 2: 8:10 pace

Mile 3: 9:02 pace

Mile 4: 9:05 pace

Despite fueling how I always do, I could tell very early on in the race that my stomach was a hot mess. I knew there was no way I’d make it the whole race without stopping, but I tried to hold off as long as possible. I felt pretty good otherwise and was mentally high fiving myself for adding some good new stuff to my playlist the night before.

Mile 5: 9:12 pace

Mile 6: 9:04 pace

Mile 7: 9:47 pace

Somewhere between miles 6 and 7 I finally stopped and took a much needed break. I felt a million times better afterward, and was really glad I’d decided to just lose a few minutes rather than be miserable for another hour.

Casey told me he was planning to be cheering at mile 8, so I spent most of my race fixated on just getting to that point. There was a really intense memorial mile lined with American flags and photos of soldiers who died in combat. It was right along the shore of Lake Washington in Seward Park, and it was absolutely beautiful. Also, this float – amazing!

I came out of that mile and looked around and realized there was no way Casey would be cheering nearby – it was a section of the course that headed into the highway tunnel and through areas with no spectators. Just then we headed up the biggest hill of the course, and I was actually relieved Casey wasn’t there, because I felt like I was moving at a snail’s pace.

Mile 8: 9:13 pace

Mile 9: 10:04 pace

My one goal for this race was to run the whole thing. For years and years, my races have all started strong and then ended in a crash and burn (with lots of walk breaks). It has been frustrating to not be able to shut down this voice in my head that always convinces me to walk. But like I said, my training has gone really well and there was little to no walking on any of my runs, so I knew this was finally a real possibility. Despite the massive hill in the 9th mile, I kept running.

I passed a lot of points on the course that I could vividly remember walking through last year – shaking my head in frustration that I just didn’t feel like I could run anymore. This year, I turned my music up and plowed straight through. I still hadn’t seen Casey, but we were running along I-90 and the 99 Viaduct, so I knew it would be a few more miles before spectators lined the course again.

I finally saw Casey and the boys at mile 11, and it was a huge energy boost. I ran to the sideline and gave all three of them kisses, yelled that I felt great, and kept on going. At that point I knew there was no way I was going to walk no matter what – I had already run 11 miles!

Mile 10: 9:23 pace

Mile 11: 9:11 pace

I think if I had seen Casey at mile 8 like I expected, I would have had an adrenaline crash going into the big hill, and I would have been a lot more likely to walk. It turned out perfectly that I saw him going into the homestretch! The last part of the course has some brutal inclines, and despite honestly feeling like I might vomit at the finish line, I focused on taking one step after another.

Mile 12: 8:30 pace

Mile 13: 9:21 pace

0.67 miles: 8:54 pace

My watch clocked me in at 2:05:01, which is a 9:09 pace over 13.67 miles. However, my official Rock N Roll time was 2:06:47, and a 9:41 pace over 13.1 miles. It’s frustrating that they are so far apart in pace and that the course measured a half mile long for me. But despite any of that, you couldn’t wipe the smile from my race as I ran across that finish line. It was the first race I finished in years where I felt strong and proud and like I’d really given my best effort – both in training and in racing.

I found Casey and the boys and was on such a runner’s high – I felt SO happy. The kids had done great, and poor Casey was a total trooper who hauled the kids all over downtown so they could cheer for me (and forgot to take the stroller – oops!). We were all able to go to the VIP area afterward together, which was amazing. I was so excited to introduce my family to the other Brooks girls, and hear how everyone else’s race had gone.

We all hung out for about an hour afterward – swapping stories, sharing pictures, and hearing about everyone’s race experience. One of the Brooks PR guys ran his first half marathon and ended up 5th male overall – finishing in 1:15 – is that not insane??

I feel so lucky that I got to share this race experience with the other girls – a few who I just met, and others I have known for years and years. Meghann and I have been friends since 2009, and this was the third time I’ve been lucky enough to see her out in Seattle. Next time I see her she’ll be a mama!

I’ve been running for a long time and have done this race twice before on my own. Something about being part of this Brooks community has been so inspiring and motivating to me throughout my training, and I think it had a big impact on me truly embodying the Run Happy message.

I’m one of the slowest runners in the group, and it doesn’t matter to me at all. Being surrounded by such talented and like-minded women was really powerful, and it reminded me all of the reasons I love both running and blogging.

I have another half marathon in just a few short weeks, so I’m hoping I can hang on for dear life and continue to get my runs in each week, and hopefully have another successful race.

I feel better about running than I have in a long time, and I’m really proud of myself for getting up to run at 6am almost every Saturday morning for the last three months. I’ve run pushing a double stroller, I’ve run after bedtime, and I’ve run in the pouring rain. I’m hopeful that more mileage and more training will eventually make me even faster, but for now I’m content to just Run Happy.

]]>http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/2015-rock-n-roll-seattle-half-marathon-race-weekend.html/feed28http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/2015-rock-n-roll-seattle-half-marathon-race-weekend.htmlSummer Dining Al Fresco.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DailyGarnish/~3/7egQ9jrDshU/summer-dining-al-fresco.html
http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/summer-dining-al-fresco.html#commentsMon, 15 Jun 2015 21:17:21 +0000Emily Malonehttp://www.dailygarnish.com/?p=21158As we roll into summer, our garden is blooming and there is fresh produce everywhere. It is one of my favorite seasons for food because there are so many healthy seasonal options – like dinner salads, grab and go berries, and chopped veggies thrown on the grill. That said, this season is also BUSY – swimming lessons, gymnastics class, preschool play dates, family swim at the neighborhood pool, evening runs, weekends out of town, and much more. All really fun, wonderful stuff – but busy nonetheless.

And a lot of days, even when we have nothing officially on the schedule, we are drawing chalk garbage trucks or making homemade water slides in the backyard. It is the season of being outside ALL the time. Sun up to sundown, and before I know it it is 6pm and the kids are starving and I have no idea what I’m going to make for dinner. So I end up throwing together leftovers, or raw veggies and hummus, or other quick meals for them to eat at the backyard picnic table, and I tell Casey we will worry about our own dinner later. And on those types of weeks, I am so grateful for Blue Apron.

I’ve talked about Blue Apron plenty here before, so I won’t rehash all the details. Here are a few key points for those who are new, and a few changes for others who have used it in the past:

Two types of plans: the 2-person plan and the family plan. I had originally hoped to switch to the family plan a few months back, but discovered there is currently not an all vegetarian plan for families. Hopefully soon!

All recipes available (for free!) online as well as seasonal cookbooks released.

Blue Apron just launched in Texas and now ships to most of the country!

We’ve been using the service for a year now, and we typically get one box each month – I choose based on how delicious the upcoming menu looks (I’m a sucker for anything with an egg on top) or if we have a super busy week on the calendar. I was so excited for last week’s menu, as all three meals looked delicious and not like anything I typically make.

Our first meal was the Seared Halloumi Sandwiches on Focaccia – OMG! What a way to kick off the week!

I would never typically make sandwiches for dinner, so these felt really fun and different. The combo of gooey cheese with roasted eggplant and bell peppers was ridiculous – so, SO good!

There was a nice little apple arugula side salad too, so I didn’t feel quite so badly about eating fried cheese and bread for dinner. :)

Like I said before, one of the best parts about living here is that this time of year we can literally just live outside. There is no humidity or bugs, and the temps are warm enough to be pleasant but mild enough that you aren’t (usually) melting. My favorite place in our house is this back patio we built last summer, and it is currently the main dinner hub for me and Casey as well!

Casey and I split the cooking duties on this one. He got it started while I was out running, and then I took over when I got home so he could finish up a few other things. Then we took our plates outside, along with drinks and music – the perfect way to enjoy a delicious dinner at the end of the day.

Note the ever hopeful pup looking to snag a bite – ridiculous!

Our second meal of the week was the Fresh Fettuccini Pasta with Sugar Snap Peas & Arugula Pesto!

I made this one while Casey tackled bedtime duty with the boys, and it came together really quickly and easily.

We took this one out back to the patio too, and it was the perfect amount of food. While I was cooking, I ended up adding extra snap peas that we had on hand in the fridge because they were so tasty and went so well with the yummy pesto.

A veggie pasta like this is such a step up from basic marinara, and is perfect for summer. I’m planning to make a lot more dishes like this over the summer, and I’ll definitely try making an arugula pesto again – so simple and tasty.

And last but not least, the Beluga Lentil & Asparagus Salad. Casey made this one while I went out on my final training run for my half marathon.

In addition to our patio area with the pretty twinkle lights, we also have an actual outdoor dining table. This is typically where we eat our family meals when we all eat together – I love the lights built into the umbrella and these amazing solar-powered mason jar lights I found at World Market.

But mostly I love sitting down with Casey after the chaos of the day and enjoying fresh air, all our pretty plants and green space, and a delicious meal that was fast and easy.

This dish was the perfect balance of fresh and filling. We eat a lot of lentils in our house, but I rarely turn them into a salad type of dish. I loved the pairing of blanched asparagus, thinly sliced radish, and piave cheese (something I would never typically buy!).

We ended up frying our eggs instead of poaching them because ours weren’t peeling very well. That’s the nice thing about these meals – you can add extras, omit ingredients you might not like or that you are sensitive to, and you can always change up a cooking technique. The work is mostly done for you, but you can still make it your own.

This post is sponsored by Blue Apron. I have a limited ongoing partnership with them, but also pay for additional Blue Apron meals out of pocket because we really enjoy using the service. As always, thank you for continuing to support Daily Garnish.

]]>http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/summer-dining-al-fresco.html/feed27http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/summer-dining-al-fresco.htmlThe Garden Grows (Again).http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DailyGarnish/~3/SxmIgakETg4/the-garden-grows-again.html
http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/the-garden-grows-again.html#commentsMon, 08 Jun 2015 18:56:34 +0000Emily Malonehttp://www.dailygarnish.com/?p=21157It’s that time again! Time for me to pour all my hopes and dreams into my planter and herb boxes, and hope that my black thumb can make something edible come to life. Last year, we did our first garden, and I shared updates throughout the summer as some things flourished, some things got scary bug infestations, and I learned a ton in the process.

This summer, I’m hoping to use what I learned to repeat our successes from last year while also trying a few new things for fun. We got started back in early May – the veggie boxes were empty and the soil had been thoroughly turned by Graham, who used them as a digging pit all through the spring.

Somehow, my sage and parsley survived our (not very cold) winter, and were still flourishing come spring – exciting! I guess it pays to be lazy and not clean out your plants right away.

Also, surviving – my two strawberry pots! They needed a good clean-out, but the plants themselves seem to have made it, and there are tiny buds that hold the promise of berries. Time will tell!

My Mother’s Day gift to myself (and from the Casey, who dragged the boys through the garden center while I took my sweet time picking things out) was a trip to Swanson’s Nursery to pick out this year’s crop of veggies.

I am still not confident or organized enough to start from seeds, but hopefully next year. I didn’t get started early enough this year, and I am impatient. But we got a great selection of organic veggies and herbs, as well as a few colorful annuals for the front porch.

It’s amazing to look at these pictures and think that it was a month ago and we were in flannels and jeans and sweatshirts while gardening – it’s over 80 degrees and pure sunshine today! The boys are really excited to help this year, which makes it that much more fun for me. We got started by filling up all the boxes and containers with compost.

The kids are happy about anything that involves dirt, and gardening gloves are all the rage. Do you know how hard it is to get twenty little wiggling fingers into gloves?

We mixed up all the dirt to get it ready for our veggies, and cleaned out any remaining scraps from last year or weeds that have grown.

We started with the herb boxes, since I didn’t have a master plan yet for how to lay out the veggies themselves. I kind of rushed into it since the kids were desperate to help, and probably didn’t plan these out as well as I should have, but oh well.

Box number one has sweet basil, last year’s parsley, purple Thai basil, and last year’s sage. What on earth will I ever do with that much sage??

Box number two from right to left is – cilantro, oregano, flat parsley, tarragon, and rosemary. My gut told me this box was overcrowded, but again, I was kind of rushed.

In a separate pot, we planted two types of mint. Last year I did the mint in the boxes with the other herbs. It didn’t do too well and I think the roots impacted the other plants in there (since it likes to spread). We don’t have a good spot for a perennial garden in our backyard, so I’m opting for pots for the mint for now – maybe next year we’ll look for a more permanent home.

A few days later (May 15th), Cullen and I tackled the veggie planting after I’d had a chance to think about placement a bit more. Last year, I planted waaaaaaay too many tomatoes. We had so many tomatoes I was giving away grocery bags full of them to anyone who would take them, and we were eating ourselves sick. That said, I still loved having so much gorgeous red and yellow growing in our boxes, and I was so excited that they did so well. The dogs also feasted on them nonstop, and I eventually gave up that battle due to our excess supply.

So this year, I STILL bought a ton of tomatoes, but not quite as many. I’m trying a few new varieties, and a mix of cherry and slicing tomatoes. I also bought swiss chard, two types of lacinato kale (different variety from last year), salad greens, cucumbers, yellow squash, and eggplant. I figured I start with this and see how much room I had left!

The left box this year has the cherry tomatoes (last year they were on the right side). I’m doing four different cherry tomatoes, but of course now I don’t actually remember anything about why I chose what I did. I also planted the kale and swiss chard over here – these were huge failures last year, so I’m crossing my fingers they do better this summer.

The right side box has three full sized tomato plants, in addition to the cucumbers, squash, eggplant, and lettuce greens. I tried to pay attention to spacing needs, but it’s so hard to know how much room to leave when the plants are still so itty bitty!

The lettuce was one thing that did pretty well last year, although we had a hard time keeping up with eating it. I also need to learn the correct ways to prune it to keep it growing back nicely. This year we’re doing a general “mixed greens”, butter lettuce, and some romaine. Nothing tastes better than salad straight from the ground!

These are the tomatoes, squash, eggplant, and cucumbers. Not sure I left enough room here (probably not), and not sure if cucumbers need to be vining or not. When I worked on the farm in North Carolina a million years ago, they grew cucumbers on trellis’ so we’ll see how this goes.

I have had a lot of help watering and watching our veggies grow bit by bit. Cullen asks every day if we have tomatoes ready! It’s going to feel like a long haul to August I think.

So how about an update from last month’s initial planting? Here we are almost a month later, and check out how much everything has grown already! I took these pictures this morning (June 8th), so this is 3-4 weeks of growth. In those weeks we’ve had a ton of sunshine and a few stretches of rain – perfect for the plants.

Herb box number one has filled in a lot! Go figure the parsley survived all winter long and then totally flowered and gave up as soon as summer came. I’m going to pull it out and plant more basil, because I never have as much basil as I want – I feel like we use it every day! The sage is enormous and I’m considering cutting it back – it’s out of control.

Box number two that I presumed was going to get crowded has done just that. The cilantro and parsley are enormous already, pretty much swallowing up the oregano and tarragon. But that’s okay because I don’t use those as much anyway. Herbs on EVERYTHING!!

I bought a few more basil, and some additional Swiss chard and BEETS to plant in the veggie boxes this week (since we have some extra space). Excited to add to what we already have.

I cleaned up the strawberry pots and we have some small flowers and the promise of what looks like berries, but still no actual berries growing. These were the first things the dogs went after last year though, so my expectations are very low.

The mint is absolutely enormous, and getting taller by the day. I am adding it to every salad and dressing I can think of – hopefully some new recipes to come this summer from all this produce tasting and testing!

As for the boxes themselves, check out all that GREEN!

The kale and chard are doing SO well – I’m really pumped. I want to stay on top of these so we don’t get the crazy bug infestation that we had last year. Seriously traumatizing. I am going to plant the extra chard and beets in the empty space up front.

The tomatoes have grown significantly and have lots of yellow flowers. Every single day I tell myself it is time to get the cages out before it gets too late. Maybe today is the day. Maybe.

Box number two is overcrowded already, as predicted. I can’t help myself – I do everything in excess.

The salad greens look AMAZING, and I feel like they are close to being ready to pick? I have plans to Google research how to best take care of these later this afternoon. Cullen loves picking leaves off and eating straight out of the garden, and it makes me so happy to see him excited about growing food together.

The squash plant is enormous and I’m afraid it is engulfing the eggplant – whoops. Too late to fix now though so I’ll just wait and see what happens. Lots and lots of teeny little squash buds though, so that is exciting. The cucumber is bigger but I don’t see any buds or veggies developing yet – I keep checking!

Outside of the edible plants, we got an exciting surprise from the hedge we planted last year. This was our brand new patio at the end of last summer – with a tiny row of hebe plants along the top of the rock wall (and OMG look at those tomato plants!).

A few weeks ago, I came out one day and noticed a teeny tiny purple flower on one of them. I was shocked, since I had no idea these were flowering plants! And then every day that I came outside, there were more and more gorgeous purple flowers.

And now the whole hedge is much bigger and so beautiful with all that purple color. Happiness!!

In less happy news, my spring pansy baskets have finally succumbed to this early summer heat wave we are having. I am headed to the garden store this afternoon to search for a replacement!

Still a lot to do and a whole lot to learn, but it is so fun trying my hand at gardening and getting the whole family involved in the process. I’ll continue to update you guys throughout the summer! I have some other fun non-garden related outdoor updates to share next time too. It is the MOST wonderful time of the year – that is for sure.

What are you planting this year?? Any expert gardening tips to share?

]]>http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/the-garden-grows-again.html/feed41http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/the-garden-grows-again.htmlBrooks Trailhead 15K 2015 Race Recap.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DailyGarnish/~3/QCGUsy9s-Wc/brooks-trailhead-15k-2015-race-recap.html
http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/brooks-trailhead-15k-2015-race-recap.html#commentsMon, 01 Jun 2015 18:41:56 +0000Emily Malonehttp://www.dailygarnish.com/?p=21153On Saturday morning, I got up early and pulled on my running gear – as I have been doing most Saturday mornings over the last few months. But instead of my normal training run, this time it was a RACE DAY! I haven’t done a race of any distance since last September, so I felt a bit rusty.

I was running the Brooks Trailhead 15k, which I’ve actually run twice before under different names – the Seattle’s Best 15k in 2012 and the Emerald City 15k in 2014. And while I’ve certainly run much farther many moons ago, these days running a nine mile race feels like a pretty big deal!

I’m going to write more about my training later in the week (as part of celebrating National Running Day!) – but overall I’d say my training this spring has been…average. Not terrible, but not good – pretty much the same it has been every year that I’ve trained for something since having kids. Officially, I’m training for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon and the See Jane Run Half Marathon coming up in the next few months, so this 15k fit perfectly into my training plan.

One thing I have done really WELL this time around is fueling for runs. This was a major area of weakness before (due to laziness), but I’ve carefully planned fueling and hydrating this time, and it’s made a big difference (imagine that!). I’ve noticed that morning running is much better for me. I run best on an empty stomach, so I’ve been fueling with only Gu’s and Shotblocks, rather than things like bananas or PB&J’s. While I’m running slower this year than I have in the past, my runs have actually felt better and I’ve been able to last all of my mileage, rather than burning out toward the end.

So with that said, before the race I fueled with coffee, a Gu, and a really concentrated sports drink that Casey made me. I brought another Gu with me to eat just before the race, and I planned to take advantage of the two Gu stations that would be out in the course.

I had actually registered for this race a few months before I signed on for the Brooks Ambassador program, but they still hooked me up with VIP access for race day. This meant I got a VIP parking pass, which was HUGE! Parking at Gasworks Park can be really tough since it’s a good sized race, and I was thrilled to not have to leave extra early and circle for spots. I picked up two friends on the way who were also happy to take advantage of my parking spot!

It was freezing cold and windy and I immediately regretted being in shorts and a super thin tank top. I had an internal shiver that I couldn’t shake. But the forecast predicted 70 and sunny for Saturday, and I’ve been overdressed too many times to make that mistake again. Thankfully, the sun came out right as we made our way to the start.

This was my first race in my Brooks Pureflows, and I can’t say enough good things. Actually, now that I think about it, I have NOTHING to say about the shoes – when I’m running, I don’t even notice them. Not a single rub, or blister, or area of discomfort – I lace them up and don’t think about them again. That’s a perfect running shoe, right?

As for the race itself, my strategy was to run a comfortable pace and not push it. I really wanted to last the distance and not end up walking (as I have so often in the past). Like I said before, I’m running a little slower this year (thoughts on that later this week!), so I knew I wasn’t going to break and personal records, and that’s okay with me.

The course started down the canal – a trail I’ve run so, so many times before. I felt strong and comfortable and the miles went much faster than I expected. My fueling felt perfect, and I had plenty of energy and my stomach felt great.

Mile 1: 9:15 pace

Mile 2: 9:04 pace

Mile 3: 8:48 pace

I plodded along the out and back section of the course looking for the faces of my friends who were also running, and spotted most of them. Little did I know that just up ahead were two tiny people that would make my heart leap out of my chest.

I knew Casey and the boys would be out on the course somewhere, but I had no idea where I hadn’t expected to see them so early. I yelled and hollered like a fool.

And when I started to peel off toward them, Cullen ran straight toward me. Having them out there was such a huge boost right at the beginning, and I’m pretty sure it kept me smiling through the rest of the race.

Mile 4: 9:14 pace

Mile 5: 8:44 pace

Mile 6: 9:19 pace

Somewhere around mile 6 I started to feel the mental struggles creep in – the finish still felt far away, my headphones were acting up and the sound kept cutting out, and I just felt kind of blah. Luckily I got a Gu station shortly after, and I think it helped give me a second wind.

Having run this course many times before, I was well aware of the hills through miles 7 and 8 – brutal and STEEP. For some reason they put a water station directly at the bottom of the first hill, so when I stopped to grab a drink I found myself walking up most of it. I think they need to move this one to the top to motivate people to run toward the water!

The hills were painful but I kept running and held to my promise that I wouldn’t take walking breaks (other than to get drinks and Gu’s!). I knew I slowed down but didn’t really care. The last mile back toward the park felt reaaaaally long, but I also knew my fan club was waiting there.

Mile 7: 9:07 pace

Mile 8: 9:56 pace

Mile 9: 9.34 pace

I saw Casey and the boys, along with friends who were cheering and friends who had already finished. I yelled and waved and charged on toward the big blue pads!

I was tired by the end, but felt surprisingly good. I might be slower, but I feel better about the way I’m running. It feels smarter and more balanced, and hopefully continuing that will make me faster again bit by bit. The only frustration I had with the race is that I think it measured long. My running app logged 9.79 miles (instead of 9.3). and the two other friends I ran with both logged 9.6+ miles with their Garmins.

0.79 mile – 9:26 pace

According to my running app – which I forgot to stop for about a minute after I crossed the finish line – I finished in 1:30:26 – an average of 9:15 pace. Not my best ever, but about what I thought it would be, and a time I’m proud of at this point in my training. The official results say I finished in 1:30:15 – but since that’s based on a 9.3 mileage – the pace is a 9:24 average. Womp womp.

This actually happened to me last year too on the same course, by almost the same difference in average paces. Last year I blamed the Map My Run app, but this year the Garmins read long too, so who knows. The course does a lot of winding and looping around the lake, so guess it’s possible to have run an extra half mile in all those curves, but it’s still frustrating. Either way, I finished!

And along with a few other friends, I had my best running buddy, Lacey, out there with me. We’ve done a lot of training runs together this spring, and she’s kept me really accountable and motivated. I feel so lucky to have friends who enjoy running and keep me looking forward to running together each week.

I ran in the Brooks Versatile Lite Tank and Epiphany Stretch Shorts, which I’ve been wearing (and loving) on my training runs. The tank is really thin and sheer and perfectly lightweight. The shorts are light and swooshy and great for hot days. I only wish it had a bigger pocked for my clunky phone! Good running gear makes a big difference, and I wish it hadn’t taken me so long to figure that out!

We all hung around and chatted for a while after the race, because despite having already done my big run, the best was still yet to come. They had a 1K kids’ run and Cullen told me he wanted to do it, so I signed up him early that morning! It was very official, with banners for the kids and even pint sized race shirts – BEYOND adorable.

I asked Cullen if he wanted me to run with him and he proudly started he would be running “BY HIMSELF!” So I said I’d just line up in the back in case he changed his mind. Ready, set, GO!

And as expected, the minute the kids started charging ahead he got overwhelmed, turned around, and said he didn’t want to do it. So I grabbed his hand and told him we’d do it together.

And after the initial nerves wore off, he dropped my hand and smiled the rest of the way. Having just watched me do my race, I think he was really excited to do the same thing on the same course – he was so into it and so excited.

He has only done one other kids run before, and during that one he fell flat on his face and finished in tears. This was a much different experience!

As we got close to the finish where Casey was standing with the camera, he kept shouting “I have to wave to my dad!!” It was so much fun, and so impossibly cute. I just love this age, and I love him so much.

I finished just behind him and he grabbed his medal, which he then wore for the rest of the day, including out to eat.

It was a great day for both of us, and I loved sharing it with him. Although for the rest of the day he asked no less than 100 times, “Mom I won my race!! Why didn’t you win yours?”

I didn’t win the race itself, but it felt like a win to me. I had a great day and felt very loved and supported being cheered on by friends and family. A wonderful race around the water in the city that I love so much.

Two more weeks until the Rock and Roll Half Marathon, and I’ll admit – I’m nervous. I’m not sure I had four good miles left in me, but hopefully two more weeks of solid training and cross-training can only make me that much more prepared. Here’s to National Running Week!

]]>http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/brooks-trailhead-15k-2015-race-recap.html/feed22http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/06/brooks-trailhead-15k-2015-race-recap.htmlMom Gets Married!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DailyGarnish/~3/5lMMIl7OxbM/mom-gets-married.html
http://www.dailygarnish.com/2015/05/mom-gets-married.html#commentsFri, 29 May 2015 12:00:00 +0000Emily Malonehttp://www.dailygarnish.com/?p=21152We spent our Memorial Day weekend this year back in my hometown – Cincinnati, Ohio – celebrating my mom getting married! We had been looking forward to it for so long, and as I look back through the photos I can’t believe it is already over. The best stuff in life just flies by, right?

We haven’t traveled back home or around to see family quite as much this year, and we hadn’t seen my big sis and her kids since last August when we were all in New Jersey together. It had been WAY too long, especially with kiddos so young. Four wild boys who are all so close in age – doesn’t get much more fun than that.

My mom recently moved into her new husband’s house, but since her old house hadn’t closed quite yet, the rest of us stayed there for a last hurrah at our family home. Three cheers to a new beginning for Grandma!

On Friday we ran around doing family stuff and helping with wedding prep, and the girls all went and got our nails done together. That evening, they had a big dinner at the house for all the out of town guests. We got dressed up and ready to go. Three hour time changes with kids are a real treat!

We saw tons of family we hadn’t seen in a while – my mom’s whole extended family came in for the event. It was really fun to see so many faces I hadn’t seen in forever, and to see my mom surrounded by so much love.

Saturday was the big day!! I got up and went running, and trudged through seven hilly miles of my old favorite running loops. I got back just in time to shower and start getting ready for the wedding. The boys stayed back at the house so the kids could nap and they could all have some downtime, while my sisters and best friend and I all headed to the hotel to help my mom get ready. Once we were ready to go, we took some family pictures outside in the courtyard. Look how gorgeous my mom looks!

All the Bohlen girls – three generations. It meant so much to my mom to have everyone together for her big day. There is something so comforting about being surround by family.

And my best friend, Lindsey – who might as well be family – recently moved down to Florida for an amazing new job. She flew back up to Ohio just for the weekend, and we spent pretty much every waking minute together. I’m excited to have an excuse to head to Florida now and then!

We got to the church and the guests started arriving, and pretty much everyone was taken aback by…

The cutest little pack of boys you have ever seen in your life. I mean BOW TIES! It doesn’t get any better. Cullen and Jonah handed out programs to the wedding guests, and they were super into their job. It was awesome.

I could tell within a minute of Casey arriving at the church with the boys that Graham was not going to make it. It was 5pm EST which was the middle of naptime on Pacific time, and he was a hot MESS. And Casey – well he was just hot. :)

When the last of the guests had gone into the church, the rest of us headed in to wait for the bride.

Who was being escorted down the aisle by two very dapper three year olds.

And twenty minutes later – mom and Jim were married! I got goose bumps when I found this picture days later during editing. I haven’t seen my mom look that happy in so long, and it makes me smile just sitting here thinking about it. He is a fantastic man and seems like the perfect fit for my mom – I feel so lucky that he has come into all of our lives.

Poor Casey had to take one for the team and ended up missing the wedding ceremony. As expected, Graham lasted a total of ten seconds and Casey spent the service outside trying to keep him quiet. Good thing he’s so darn cute.

But he rallied just in time for family photos and even let us put his bow tie back on. And then my heart exploded with so much cuteness in one small space.

The reception was really dark and nearly impossible to photograph, but I tried. There was dinner, cake, and then dancing.

Ohhhh the dancing…

My boys danced from the first song to the last one – and literally shut down the dance floor along with Bon Jovi.

For once, the time change worked in our favor, and my party animals danced their tails off until well past 10pm. I don’t think I have laughed that hard in my entire life. They clapped, and spun, and Graham kept sticking his booty out and scooting in a circle, and I did my best to burn it all into my brain so that I never forget how much fun we all had.

And then they collapsed.

But of course, they were up at the crack of dawn as always, and ready to head back to Grandma’s house to swing at balls and rehash the memories of the previous night.

We said goodbye to my grandparents, and their great-grandparents – how lucky they are to have them in their lives. It is so hard to not know when you’ll see long distance family again, but I tried to just focus on enjoying the time we had when we were there.

And I was lucky enough to spend the afternoon with my oldest, dearest friend and her two little boys. We met in ballet at age two and it is so crazy to watch our kids all run around together now.

Eventually, it was time to pack up and head back to Seattle. It is always so hard to say goodbye, but we left with wonderful memories, the fullest hearts, and so much joy for my mom as she starts this new chapter.